


understanding

by smallredboy



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Coming Out, Hannibal Lecter is the Chesapeake Ripper, Implied/Referenced Transphobia, M/M, Mentions of surgery, Post-Episode: s02e08 Su-zakana, Pre-Slash, Trans Hannibal Lecter, Trans Will Graham
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:01:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22789927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallredboy/pseuds/smallredboy
Summary: Hannibal has one secret to tell Will.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 16
Kudos: 172
Collections: Allbingo





	understanding

**Author's Note:**

> **trans bingo:** wild card - pre slash/femslash/het  
>  **allbingo valentine's fest:** sarcasm
> 
> make hannibal trans, you cowards!
> 
> enjoy!

One of the few things Will is thankful for that came from Hannibal is, rather, a lack of something to come from him. He's thankful that he never outed him, or put the seed of his 'secret' anywhere that Freddie Lounds could see. As it appears, no one but the people he has come out to is aware of the fact he's a transgender man. 

Hell, not even Chilton could tell. And he must've done some digging. He asked Jack to help him seal up his records ages ago, back when they were just starting to know each other, but he doubts that would've stopped Chilton from lurking deep into the corners of his life. Well, he's in the hospital now, recovering from the bullet that grazed through his jaw and onto one of his eyes. Hannibal was liable for that, if you asked Will— he's sure he implanted the idea of Chilton being the Ripper somewhere deep into Miriam's subconscious, perhaps ages before she was rescued. 

They've fallen into a comfortable silence in Hannibal's office. He's grown used to this, now, to their strange truce. Hannibal is his psychiatrist again, because he's the only one who understands what is happening to him, because he started what's happening to him. He whispered through the chrysalis, watched him transform into what he is now. 

"I haven't been completely honest with you, Will," Hannibal starts, looking through a heavy book, a glass of wine placed on the stand next to his couch. The book looks like a photo album of some sort, but he doesn't lean in to take a peek at it. 

He scoffs. "I know you haven't," he says. Hannibal's entire being is based on careful deceit and interwoven manipulations; he knows he has never been honest with him. "What is it?"

They've established that he cannot confess to anything, but that Will would prefer lies of omission to outright lies. It's better then, a lot easier to manage. So he doesn't know what he's going to confess about; there's too many lakes of mystery surrounding Hannibal's life. 

Hannibal doesn't look at him as he closes the heavy book. "I have failed to inform you that I relate to your struggles in regards to gender identity," he says, straight-faced, tone even. 

Will blinks several times, taken aback with utter shock, Hannibal's words echoing in his head as he tries to make any sense of them. He swallows thickly and he stumbles through any words that may come out of him, which end up as— "What? You're trans too?  _ What _ ?"

"Yes," Hannibal nods. He opens the photo album again and stands up, showing him it. There's old photos, in color but faded, of two children. One of them seems a bit older, but they're both feminine-looking. "My sister Mischa is the younger one. She was a toddler." Will swallows and lets Hannibal flip the pages. There's no trace of the feminine-seeming child anymore (or of Mischa, for that matter); a boyish one with short hair and a hat has taken their place. Hannibal as a child, of course, still has vaguely feminine features, but they're easy to miss. "I expressed it easily enough, as we were orphans. My uncle adopted me when I was sixteen, and he never questioned it. My papers were changed before I moved to the States."

"How was surgery back then?" he asks, it tumbling out of his mouth without his permission.

"I didn't have a bilateral mastectomy until 1997," he says, taking the book from Will's hands. "I didn't need it, really. The results were fairly positive, although I must say I sometimes wish I had waited until this century."

Will nods. The surprise has ebbed, now. He wishes he could get something meaningful out of this, use his empathy and imagination to add being a trans man to the Chesapeake Ripper's psychological profile. But there's no correlation between his crimes and his identity, and there would be no point in offering vague hints to it when the next Ripper murder pops up. 

"You're going to bring us a bad rap when you get caught, Dr. Lecter."

"Oh, my records are sealed well enough," he says, leaning his chin against his palm. "Trust me, if I am to be the Chesapeake Ripper, very few people will be aware of what was once between my legs."

"Once?" Will asks, raising a brow. 

"I got a phalloplasty a few years ago," Hannibal informs him happily. Will refuses to dwell too much on what that means for him and his interest in Hannibal. 

"Ah," he nods. "I have not had any sort of bottom surgery, if you're curious, apart from a complete hysterectomy." There's a long pause. "I wouldn't out you, if that's any reprieve," Will says, tone even as he gets comfortable on the couch once again.

Hannibal gives him a wry smile. "Would you not?"

"It would only bring forth transphobic abuse, for you and for everyone else," he says. "As much as I enjoy the idea of you suffering, I don't think innocent trans men have to suffer along with you." He huffs. "Although you would be a trailblazer in terms of stereotypes.  _ All trans men are cannibalistic serial killers. _ What an example to set."

"We'd get our own version of the terrible stereotypes and prejudices against our sisters," Hannibal says. "It'd be a shame."

"Precisely," Will says. "So if you are to be caught as the Chesapeake Ripper, Dr. Lecter, I promise to not out you to the public."

He chuckles. "I appreciate your candor, Will," he says. "Are we further weaved together now? Now that you know another similarity of ours?"

"Oh, I do have very much in common with you, Dr. Lecter," he says, voice tight as he looks at him. "Our similar experiences with gender are the least of it." He pauses. "It does make you even more interesting to me, though. I can't deny that."

Hannibal smiles at him smugly, and raises his glass of wine to his lips. 

Yes, Hannibal Lecter continues to be interesting to him, and this development does nothing but aggravate that. 


End file.
